Geranium plant named Schone Helena

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of geranium named Schone Helena particularly characterized by the combined features of porcelain rose flower color, large flowerhead, very fast rooting, cultivation below 12° C., excellent branching, medium to dark green foliage, and stable peduncles.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geranium, botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Schone Helena.

Schone Helena is a product of planned breeding program which had the objective of creating new geranium cultivars with salmon flower color, semi-double flower form, short plant height, fast rooting, good branching, and durable flowers.

Schone Helena was originated from a hybridization made in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany in 1979. The female parent was an unpatented cultivar named Tany having porcelain rose color semi-double flowers, but inferior branching characteristics. The male parent of Schone Helena was the unpatented cultivar PAC® Lachsball, principally characterized by its salmon semi-double flowers, lack of zonation in the foliage, compact habit, and fast rooting.

Schone Helena was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Ingeborg Schumann on June 27, 1980 in a controlled environment in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Schone Helena was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in January, 1981 in a controlled environment in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany by a technician working under formulations established and supervised by Ingeborg Schumann. Horticultural examination of selected units initiated in the Spring of 1981 and continuing in 1982 has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Schone Helena are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Schone Helena has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of Schone Helena which in combination distinguish this geranium as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Porcelain rose flower color.

2. Large flowerhead (umbel).

3. Zoned leaves.

4. Very fast rooting.

5. Schone Helena can be cultivated below 12° C.

6. EXcellent branching, producing an average of 4.2 branches per plant.

7. Medium to dark green foliage color.

8. Stable peduncles.

9. Chlorophyll quality excellent for transportation.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar in comparison to Schone Helena are the unpatented cultivars Salmon Irene and Springtime Irene. Reference is made to attached Chart A which compares certain characteristics of Schone Helena to those same characteristics of Salmon Irene and Springtime Irene. In general comparison to Salmon Irene, Schone Helena has faster rooting, better branching, shorter internode length, and shorter plant height. In comparison to Springtime Irene, Schone Helena has smaller leaves, lighter flower color, better weather resistance, better branching, and faster rooting.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of Schone Helena, with colors being as true as possible will illustrations of this type. Sheet 1 is a perspective view of a potted plant of the new cultivar. Sheet 2 is a relatively enlarged view of the flowers, buds and foliage, and sheet 3 is a black and white print of the underside of typical foliage of the new cultivar.

In the following description color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, except where additional or alternative values from Horticultural Colour Chart (H.C.C.) are indicated. The color values were determined between 3:40 and 3:50 P.M. on Aug. 12, 1983 under 20,000 Klux at Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany.

CLASSIFICATION

Botanical: A hybrid of the genus Pelargonium l'hert.

Commercial: Schone Helena.

INFLORESCENCE

Umbel:

Average diameter.--122 mm.

Average depth.--81 mm.

Peduncle length.--200 mm.

Pedicel length.--26 mm. (without anthocyan).

Corolla:

Average diameter.--45 mm.

Form.--Semi-double, rotate.

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--H.C.C. 619/1, R.H.S. 38A.

Color (abaxial).--H.C.C. 620/1, R.H.S. 44D.

Color (adaxial).--H.C.C. 620/2.

Bud:

Shape.--Elliptic.

Color (abaxial).--Pink to nearly white.

Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Monodelphous; 8 stamens; plentiful pollen.

Gynoecium.--4-6 lobed stigma, color rose; style, color rose.

Spring flowering response period: In Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany in 1982, 40% of plants with at least 1 flower opened 13 weeks after planting of unrooted cutting.

Outdoor flower production: The flower count in 1982 in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany was between 44 and 49 flowers per plant for June through October observation period.

Durability: Shatter resistance very good.

PLANT

Foliage:

Form.--Kidney-shaped.

Margin.--Crenate.

Color (abaxial).--Medium to dark green.

Color (adaxial).--Medium green.

Color (zonation).--Brown.

Tolerance to botrytis.--Good.

General appearance and form:

Internode length.--36 mm.

Branching pattern.--Good, with an average of 4.2 branches per plant being produced.

Height.--290 mm.; medium.

                  CHART A                                                          ______________________________________                                               Branching Habit                                                                (number of branches                                                            of non-pinched          Hillscheid                                             plants 13 weeks         Spring  Inter-                                         after planting                                                                               Corolla   Flowering                                                                              node                                           unrooted cutting)                                                                            Color     Response                                                                               Length                                   ______________________________________                                         Spring-                                                                              3.3           RHS 52D   35%     medium                                   time                          (late)                                           Irene                                                                          Salmon                                                                               3.0           RHS 44D   50%     long                                     Irene                         (early)                                          Schone                                                                               4.2           RHS 44D   40%     medium                                   Helena                        (midseason)                                      ______________________________________                                                                     Quality of                                                 Plant    Color of   Chlorophyll for                                                                          Rooting                                          Height   Leave      Transportation                                                                           Time                                     ______________________________________                                         Springtime                                                                             medium   light-green                                                                               bad       medium                                   Irene                                                                          Salmon  tall     middle-green                                                                              good      slow                                     Irene                                                                          Schone  medium   middle-green                                                                              ver good  very fast                                Helena                                                                         ______________________________________                                     

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of geranium named Schone Helena, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized by the combined features of porcelain rose flower color, large flowerhead, very fast rooting, cultivation below 12° C., excellent branching, medium to dark green foliage, and stable peduncles. 